There's no denying that Manitoba has become a home away from home for fifth-year forward Jonah Wasylak. 

A native of Calgary, Wasylak's first taste of 204 hockey came in 2012-13 when he suited up for the Steinbach Pistons of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL). Standing at 6'2" and well over 200 pounds, he was brought in to provide size and physicality to the roster and succeeded in that venture. 

The big-bodied enforcer quickly became a fan favourite, with his 2013-14 'OWL' line pairing alongside Suede Omeasoo and Connor Lockhart drawing particular support from the crowd. 

Wasylak did much more than just set the tone for Steinbach however. He also had a scoring touch, potting 32 regular season goals and 89 points during his three-year run with the Pistons that also included the program's first-ever MJHL title when he was a rookie. He was named Steinbach's Most Improved Player that season as well.

On top of his on-ice efforts, Wasylak was also very involved in the community, regularly volunteering at schools around the area, something that he continues to do now with Manitoba. 

"[Steinbach] really opened up to me being there and embraced me as a player. I was really happy to have gotten three full years there and it's led me to my time at the U of M. It was a great place to start. That was I think the cornerstone in my hockey career to get me to where I am now," says Wasylak.

"I've stayed in touch with so many of the guys from those three years. [Head coach/General Manager Paul Dyck], I still talk to him regularly. He has me out to events with the Pistons. It's nice that they still recognize the players that played for them and they're constantly inviting guys back. I think that shows that it's a special place to play and that you're a part of that community too."

Bisons head coach Mike Sirant took notice of Wasylak's play, bringing him into the fold starting in 2015-16. His hard-working and spirited style has been a perfect match for Manitoba's identity, as evidenced by the forward's consistent presence in the lineup which included a career-high 11 points as a rookie. 

"With Mike we've really been able to focus more on that role more for myself and just focus on having that simple game of playing gritty, hard and physical and getting to the net," noted Wasylak.

"In junior obviously that was the cornerstone of my identity there and with the OWL line that's exactly what we did. I think that's just manifested itself even moreso into that role now and I've really tried to key in on that under Mike. And I've worked with [assistant coaches] Devin Himpe and Ryan Bonni as well and they've just been good reinforcers of keeping it simple, getting to the net and using your shot."

Last season Wasylak's game continued to develop, as he was placed in the team's top six at times due to some tough injuries. He stepped up to the task, recording six goals which tied him for third on the team. 

Much like Wasylak, players such as Jeremey Leipsic and Keaton Jameson also saw their roles increase as last year went along. Their progression has continued in 2019, with the trio generating both of Manitoba's goals in a season-opening 2-0 victory on Sept. 28. 

"I think it definitely helped, especially for this year," Wasylak noted when discussing the development of his two teammates. 

"We had to go through a lot of adversity last year so that helped a lot of those guys like Keaton, Jeremey and myself get ready for what was going to be called upon us for this year. It definitely showed some character for us and helped us build a bit more moving into this year. I think we were able to find some success as the year went along. It maybe wasn't manifested in wins, but we felt ourselves come together."

Now in his final year with the Herd, Wasylak is one of just three fifth-years on the team, along with fellow alternate captain Sean Christensen and captain Adam Henry. Sirant noted that the trio have done an excellent job showing the way for some of the younger guys, with each providing their own unique style of leadership. 

"I think Adam and Sean are a bit more vocal in the room than I am. I speak up and I've gotten a bit more vocal, but I think for me it's definitely more leading by example by working hard, setting the tone and giving the other guys something to follow behind," says Wasylak. 

"And just doing the little things right too in games, like blocking a shot. Those little things that don't necessarily get noticed in-game bit are crucial to helping you win. If it comes from the top down you're going to see it trickle down a bit more. And especially having a young group of guys, that's going to be crucial for us as well, is just having those guys key in on the little things that need to be done.

We've got a great group of guys. We've had some good fun so far and we're all gelling really well. That's nice to see. Especially with a young group, to see guys buying in early, I think that's going to lead to some success on the ice for us."